An Introduction to Volunteeringcounties.britishlegion.org.uk/media/...volunteering... ·...

An Introduction to

Volunteeringfor The Royal British Legion

Contents Page

Welcome to The Royal British Legion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 03

Volunteering with the Legion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 04

What can you expect from us? . . . . . . . . . . . . . 05

What we ask of you . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 05

Where we need volunteers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 06

Working with our beneficiaries . . . . . . . . . . . . 06

Raising funds for us. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 09

Becoming a volunteer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Frequently asked questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Thank you! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Contents

The Royal British Legion 2

3 The Royal British Legion

We are delighted you are thinking about

volunteering for us at a time when our

services are more in demand than ever.

We are able to provide practical support

and advice to thousands of Armed Forces

personnel and their families each year,

all thanks to the public’s extraordinary

generosity and the invaluable work of our

volunteers and staff.

The Legion offers a whole range of

enjoyable, fulfilling and worthwhile

volunteering roles and seeks to build

lasting productive partnerships between

staff, volunteers and beneficiaries.

This booklet is designed to help you

learn more about how you could play

your part as a Legion volunteer. For

newcomers to the Legion, it’s a starting

point to find out more before deciding

to get involved. Existing volunteers and

members may also find this booklet

useful when considering further

volunteering opportunities.

Whatever volunteering role you take on –

whether you are involved with our work

helping the Armed Forces community,

helping to raise money for the Poppy

Appeal, or supporting us in any other

way – on behalf of the Legion and our

beneficiaries thank you and welcome!

Welcome to The Royal British Legion



To ensure our beneficiaries get the very

best support, we select our volunteers

very carefully.

Some roles will need people who are

confident and competent at using

computers; others the ability to connect

with our beneficiaries quickly and easily;

and others to help us raise much

needed funds.

So for certain roles we may need people

who have demonstrated a level of

experience in some areas, while with

others that wouldn’t be necessary.

Whatever role you do, you can be sure

that you will be making a really worthwhile

contribution to support our Service men

and women, past and present, and

their families.

Volunteering with the Legion


What can you expect from us?

We recognise that volunteering is a two-

way street, and that volunteers need to get

something back from their experiences in

the same way that the Legion gains from

their time and effort. So we will, as far as

possible, make sure you:

• Receive a clear written description of

your volunteering role with us.

• Have an induction to the Legion,

your role, and where you will

be volunteering.

• Get training, support and supervision

while you are volunteering with us.

• Are covered by insurance while

volunteering for us.

• Are reimbursed for agreed

out-of-pocket expenses.

• Are treated fairly, with dignity

and respect.

• Get a regular flow of information

updating you with what’s happening

in the Legion.

What we ask of you

In general terms we expect all of our

volunteers to:

• Care about our beneficiaries and the

Armed Forces community and be

committed to upholding the Legion’s

vision, mission and values.

• Act with integrity and work together

with other volunteers and staff, sharing

knowledge and information with them

when necessary and appropriate.

• Deal with people fairly whatever their

background or circumstances.

• Attend briefings and training

when required.

• Commit to helping us regularly, where a

particular role requires it.

• Follow Legion policies and procedures.

• Tell us if volunteering for the Legion

isn’t working out as you hoped or

expected, so that we can work together

to find a solution.



Where we need volunteers

There are two main areas where we need

volunteer help:

1. Working with our beneficiaries

2. Raising the funds we need to help the

Armed Forces community

On the following pages you can see

many of our different volunteer roles,

together with the corresponding skills and

experience we need people to have.

Working with our beneficiaries

The volunteers who have direct contact

with the people we help carry out critical

work and must have certain skills and

aptitudes. They are key to helping us

deliver our welfare services, and work in

close liaison with our Case Officers and

other staff. There are three roles which are

co-ordinated within our 16 operational

Areas. These are: Information Volunteer,

Caseworker Volunteer and Visitor Volunteer.

The Information Volunteer may be based

at an Area Advice & Information Centre,

or at secondary and outreach locations.

The other roles are mainly delivered in

the communities where beneficiaries are

living. Some of these roles do require

previous experience or IT skills so we may

need to check those skills out before we

can ask you to volunteer in a particular

role.

What is a beneficiary?Someone in the Armed Forces

community who is eligible for our

help. Beneficiaries include people

currently serving in the Royal Navy,

British Army and Royal Air Force,

Reservists, veterans of all ages, and

close family members.



Role Title What do you have to do? We need people who are...

Information

Volunteer

• Welcome visitors to the Area

Advice & Information Centre or

other locations that the Legion is

working from

• Give information to beneficiaries

or direct them to more support

from our systems or staff

• Give basic information

about the work of the

Legion, its welfare services

and membership

9 Happy and confident when

meeting and talking to people

from different backgrounds

9 Good at customer service

9 Confident and regular users

of computers, the internet

and email

9 Happy working as part of

a team

9 Reliable and dependable

9 Willing to help us regularly

Caseworker

Volunteer

• Contact, visit and interview

people who are asking for

our help

• Assess their eligibility,

circumstances and needs

• Keep accurate records of visits

and assessments

• Liaise closely with Area staff to

help beneficiaries with agreed

case actions

9 Confident communicators

9 Able to reassure people

9 Able to assess objectively and

remain neutral

9 Regular users of email and

the internet


9 Able to work independently

and flexibly

Visitor

Volunteer

• Visit beneficiaries in their home

or hospital to offer befriending

and comradeship

• Help beneficiaries by giving them

emotional support

• Lend a non-judgemental and

neutral ear to their situations

• Signpost to further Legion

support where necessary

9 Friendly and approachable


9 Discreet

9 Able to work on their

own initiative

9 Willing to keep in regular

contact with beneficiaries to

support them



We also need:

Homes & Break Centre volunteers who

help in our Care Homes and Break Centres,

helping to run events and outings for

residents, or just dropping in to have a chat

with them. Our award winning care centres

are found at various locations around the

country – details are available on

our website.

Specialist assistance for other areas of our

work such as in the Home Improvement

Service or The Battle Back Centre, Lilleshall.

Any vacancies are listed on our website

when they arise.

“I have helped men and women, young and old, with a wide range of concerns and needs. I really feel that being a Caseworker means that I have a positive impact on people’s lives.”

Janine WoodwardCaseworker Volunteer




Poppy Appeal

Collector

• Be on the frontline of the

Poppy Appeal by collecting in

public places

• Act as a visible reminder to

the public about the importance

of Remembrance

• Be prepared to tell people what

we do

9 Able to represent the Legion and

what we stand for

9 Trustworthy and dependable

9 Friendly and approachable

Poppy Appeal

Organiser

• Co-operate with staff and the local

Legion Branch to plan collections

in your locality

• Ensure there are enough

collectors for your locality

• Organise a collecting rota

• Brief collectors so they know

what to do

• Order poppies and other materials

from Appeal headquarters

• Arrange distribution of collecting

tins, poppies and materials to

shops and businesses

• Collect, safeguard and promptly

deposit money raised by the

Poppy Appeal Collectors

• Thank collectors and other

Appeal volunteers

9 Experienced at planning

and co-ordinating people

and materials

9 Happy working as part of a team

9 Confident when dealing with, and

accounting for, money

9 Able to get on well with other

people in and outside the Legion

and to build firm, productive

relationships with them

9 Confident and regular user of

computers, the internet and email

Volunteering with the LegionRaising funds for us

We need to raise a considerable amount

of money to deliver our welfare services

and to carry out other charitable work

needed to keep this great organisation

working smoothly.

An army of volunteers is brought

together to help during the Poppy Appeal,

during the last week of October and the

first two weeks of November each year,

until Remembrance Sunday or

11 November, whichever is later.


Poppy Appeal

Counting

& Banking

Volunteer

• Assist Poppy Appeal Organiser

by collecting, counting and

promptly depositing money

raised by the Poppy Appeal

collectors


9 Confident when dealing with, and

accounting for, money

9 Dependable and trustworthy

Poppy Appeal

Driver

• Assist Poppy Appeal Organiser

by delivering collecting tins,

poppies and Appeal materials to

collectors, shops and businesses


9 Dependable and trustworthy

9 Able to drive, have a good driving

record and with access to a car

or suitable transport during

the Appeal

We also need:

Fundraisers who can take part in all sorts

of events organised throughout the year,

such as the Pedal to Paris bike ride or the

London Marathon. We are always looking

for volunteers to take part and while the

funds raised are vital for the Legion, these

events are also a lot of fun and help people

face personal challenges!

Legacy volunteers – In close co-operation

with the Legacy team and Community

Fundraisers, these volunteers raise

awareness of, and actively promote,

charitable giving to the Legion. They

achieve this through organising and

delivering a programme of legacy

receptions, events, presentations

and briefings.

“I consider it an honour for me to be able to fill this role. I feel well supported and trained. If you have any problems with anything there is always someone who will give you guidance. It’s a very good organisation in that respect. I get pleasure at the thought of helping others.”

Derrick MortonVolunteer Poppy Appeal Organiser




Office

Support

Volunteer

• Support the Area team by keeping

computerised and paper records

accurate and up to date

• Help keep other office systems

working efficiently

• Keep our information safe

and secure

• Help plan and organise Legion

events, booking locations,

facilities, and contacting

attendees

• Support the co-ordination

of volunteers

9 Experienced at working in an

office environment

9 Good at customer service

9 Confident and regular user

of computers, the internet

and email


a team


9 Able to communicate clearly

verbally and in writing


Ambassador

Volunteer

• Give presentations to schools

and community groups about the

Legion and its work

• Develop and maintain a sound

working knowledge of the

activities of the Legion and of its

mission and objectives

9 Organised

9 Accomplished and

confident communicator


9 Willing to help us occasionally

In addition to our many welfare and

fundraising roles, we welcome general

and specialist help to support and

publicise our mission to the Armed Forces

community, and to assist in running

membership activities. There are many

locations around the country – in the 16

Area Offices or at Regional or Head Office

– where administration support is greatly

appreciated. In addition, we have created

an Ambassador volunteer role to help

raise our profile in schools and community

groups across the country.



Volunteer

Co-ordinator

• Help Area teams by maintaining

accurate computerised and

paper records

• Maintain volunteer rotas

• Organise recruitment and training

events for volunteers

• Support other volunteers by

phone, through meetings,

briefings, newsletters and email

9 Organised

9 Experienced at working in an

office environment


9 Confident and regular user of

computers, databases, internet

and email


a team

9 Able to communicate clearly in

writing and verbally

We also need:

Membership Officers. We are one of the

largest voluntary sector membership

bodies in the UK. Becoming an active

member assists us in our comradeship and

Remembrance objectives, and there are many

general and specialist membership roles

available in all locations. These can be found

in the Legion’s Membership Handbook. To

enquire about being a member or assisting

with branch activities please go to our

website or telephone 08457 725 725.

If these volunteering roles don’t appeal or

fit with your personal circumstances, there

could be other roles that you can help us

with. Some of these are short term or one-

offs where the time required is flexible and

negotiable, or project-based volunteering

that requires specialist skills. When these

opportunities become available, we will

advertise them on our website.

“This is what I want to do, it’s about helping others and promoting the cause.

I’ve been a Caseworker Volunteer since 2007 and being an Office Support Volunteer is just an extension of that really. Its very straightforward as long you have good basic IT skills.”

Andy Stephenson Office Support Volunteer & Caseworker



Becoming a volunteer

The process of becoming a volunteer with the Legion may differ according to each role,

but generally follows these five easy stages:

Application

Fill out an application on paper, online at www.britishlegion.org.uk/support-us/volunteering or by phoning our hotline on 08457 725 725.

Selection

We will review your application and invite you to have a chat with us about the role and what is needed.

Depending on the role, we may ask you to bring in proof of identity or ask you to take a short practical test.

Induction & Training

You will receive a thorough induction to the Legion and the role you have been selected for. This is mandatory before attending any further training.

The training is specific for each volunteering role and may include study packs, online learning, group training sessions and coaching.

Supervision & Support

We understand how important it is for volunteers to feel supported when carrying out their role. An identified individual will be responsible for providing that support and supervision. However, if you need to check something out, there’s lots of information available online or by phone.

Screening

UK law requires us to check people who work, or are likely to work, with children, young people or vulnerable adults, against certain national databases and registers. These checks are mandatory for Caseworker Volunteers before they start their training.

A previous criminal conviction does not necessarily prevent someone from becoming a volunteer – each case is dealt with individually and decisions made are at the discretion of the Legion.



When can I start?

When we have received and started

processing your application, we will

contact you to let you know where you are

in the process. We may invite you at that

point to an open day or an informal chat.

The amount of time it takes depends on

the volunteering opportunities available in

your area, which may differ according to

local needs. If we have to screen you for

the role that may delay things a little, but

we try to complete that process as quickly

as possible.

Do I need certain skills to be a

Legion volunteer?

To help ensure our beneficiaries get

the very best support, we select potential

volunteers by looking at their previous

experience and skills. Some roles will need

people who are confident and competent

at using computers, others the ability

to get on well with our beneficiaries

quickly and easily, and others to pass on

information accurately.

Although you may wish to volunteer in

a particular role, it may not always be

possible to place you in it. This could be

because there are no vacancies or that it is

not the best role for you and the Legion. If

this is the case, we will let you know.

Does the Legion provide training?

All volunteers receive free role-specific

training that may include study packs,

online learning, attending training sessions

and/or coaching. You will also receive a

thorough induction to the Legion and the

role you have been selected for.

What support will I get as a Legion

volunteer?

You will be supported and supervised

throughout your involvement with the

Legion by an identified member of our

local team, who you can turn to for extra

support if you feel you need it. If you need

to check something out there is lots of

information available online or by phone.

We will work with you to help ensure

that you find volunteering with us both

challenging and rewarding.

How much time do I need to give

and at what times can I volunteer?

There is no minimum time requirement

to volunteer with the Legion, although for

some roles it really helps if you can make

a regular time commitment. Of course this

is not binding, and you are free to change

any agreed timings, or stop volunteering

for us at any time.

Frequently asked questions



Although our offices are open during

normal office hours, some volunteering

roles require people on various days and

times. In some areas volunteer training

is provided at weekends and at others on

weekdays. You will need to discuss the

details with your local Legion contact.

Will volunteering for the Legion

affect my allowances and benefits?

Some benefits are affected but others are

not, such as the State Pension, Council

Tax Benefit and Housing Benefit. If you are

unsure we suggest you contact Job Centre

Plus, or your local authority for further

information.

What is the Legion’s approach

to diversity?

The Legion is keen to involve volunteers

who reflect the diversity of the local

community, and we welcome volunteers

regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality,

disability, gender, sexual orientation,

age or religion. We will not discriminate

against volunteers on these grounds, and

we expect the same approach from our

volunteers themselves.

What if I encounter a problem?

In the unlikely event that a volunteer has

a bad experience in their role, we have a

formal procedure to deal with any issues.

However we will always try to resolve

complaints or grievances informally

through discussion and mediation, before

instigating formal complaints procedures.

Will I get paid expenses as

a volunteer?

We will refund agreed out-of-pocket

expenses incurred by you while you are

volunteering for us. These expenses must

be recorded and regularly submitted for

reimbursement, with receipts. During your

induction you will be made aware of how

and what you can claim.

Am I covered by insurance when I

volunteer for the Legion?

People carrying out agreed volunteering

activities for the Legion are covered by

our public liability and personal accident

insurance. There are limitations to the

personal accident cover for those under 16

and over 85 years, and the cover does not

extend to people over 95 years. Therefore,

we are unable to accept volunteers who fall

outside these age limits. Unfortunately, it

is not possible to insure people to use their



own cars to volunteer for us because the

cost is prohibitive. Most comprehensive

insurance policies will include cover for

volunteer roles under “domestic, business

or pleasure”. If you intend to use your own

car, please inform your insurance company

before carrying out voluntary work on

behalf of the Legion.

What happens next?We will contact you as soon as

possible after receiving your volunteer

application. You can contact us by:

• Phone: 08457 725 725

• Email: volunteersupport@

britishlegion.org.uk

• Online: www.britishlegion.org.uk/

support-us/volunteering



Thank you for taking the time to read

this booklet, and for your interest in

volunteering with The Royal British Legion.

We aim for all our volunteers to have a

memorable experience in giving their time

– an experience they will find friendly, fun

and fulfilling.

The chances are you have the skills,

experience, energy and enthusiasm we

are looking for – it’s just a question of

channelling this into a role that’s a best fit

for both you and us. You’ve already taken

the biggest step on your volunteering

pathway by expressing an interest in our

volunteer roles, and we’re standing by to

help you transform that interest into a

firm commitment.

There has never been a more exciting time

to volunteer for The Royal British Legion.

Thanks again, and best of luck in all your future involvement with The Royal British Legion.

Volunteering with the LegionThank you!

An Introduction to

Volunteeringfor The Royal British Legion

Volunteer Support UnitHaig House, 199 Borough High Steet,London SE1 1AATel: 020 3207 2100Fax: 020 3207 2379

www.britishlegion.org.uk

Registered Charity no: 219279

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